Love Will Survive
by Sabinethafangirl
Summary: FEMALE SYOC (CLOSED) It is time for Prince James' second Selection. Only this time around, it will be filled with more lies, darker secrets, and danger beyond comprehension for anyone involved. When the long lost return, all one can do is believe that Love Will Survive. EXTENDED SUMMARY INSIDE
1. Chapter one

**EXTENDED SUMMARY:**

Seven years ago, Prince James held his Selection. He found the love of his life, got married, and became a father. And then she died. Now, he's 25, and closer than ever to becoming king. One small problem remains, though; in order to be crowned King, he needs to be married. And that means that it's time for his second Selection. But make no mistakes: his second Selection isn't going to be any easier. Mysteries will be revealed, long lost will return, and loyalties will be switched. When every corner conceals new dangers and lies, all one can do is believe that Love Will Survive.

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 **Chapter 1**

The rain was, for a change, beating down on the windows of the Palace as Prince James raced down its halls. Unlike other days, he did not have time to admire the many painting lining the walls as he passed them. He also didn't have time to finish a third helping of eggs and bacon, which is the exact reason he was late for the weekly meeting of Illéa's government, held every Friday morning.

He was still holding his sandwich when he finally arrived at the biggest conference room in the Palace's offices' wing. James had been to the opening of a new city hall a few years ago, in Columbia, and was told the large glass tower filled with offices and people was normal for an office building. He had to agree that the tower had a certain charm, but he would still choose the Palace over it any idea. The offices' wing might not have as many offices as a tower like that, but it was still the largest wing of the Palace, and at least all of the offices are spacious and as luxurious as they come. It is still the Royal Palace, of course.

"Prince James. How nice of you to join us, finally," Minister Park Hardy, a grey-haired man who is not quite as fond of the crown-prince as he is of his dog, greeted James as he entered, eyeing the bacon sandwich James was quickly stuffing down his throat. The other occupants of the room — all of Illéa's other thirty-four ministers, the King, and the Queen, turned towards the door. The ministers all promptly bowed for him, while the King and Queen remained seated. When the ministers were standing again, and James had finished his sandwich, he walked up to the head of the table, where his seat was still open.

"I am so sorry for the delay in my presence, dear ministers, but I was held up by a five-year-old who refused to eat," James said as he sat down. Instantly, the mood in the room changed. Even minister Hardy, who famously dislikes James, has a soft spot for his daughter. Princess Jeralee Anne Sierra Schreave is the country's sweetheart, and no-one can blame James for being late when she was the reason.

Prime-Minister Kord Whyte, the minister of Yukon, was the first to come back to the mortal world. "Now that we are all present, I think it is time to start this week's meeting. We have a Report to prepare for tonight, not to forget."

"Yes, we do indeed. First on the agenda is the schooling system of Illéa — petitions have been started in Tammins, Fennley, Likely, Belcourt, and Calgary for the improvement of several classes being taught at Illéa's elementary schools, specifically the subject history. The petition asks for more transparency in the classes," the King began.

Illéa's history had always been a precarious subject, with previous monarchs trying hard to keep their mistakes under wraps and had the history books altered in order to make it a prettier picture, and easier to support. The last few decades that practice had ceased, but the results were still here. James thought that teaching Illéa's citizens of Illéa's faults and how they tried to overcome them would instil much more loyalty than pretending Illéa hadn't ever done anything wrong, which was echoed around the table. It was agreed upon to sit down with the starters of the petition and discuss how the history books could best be improved.

The weekly meeting had almost come to its end when the King announced the last point of the agenda. "Lastly, we must discuss James' coronation. As I am sure you are all aware, I have aged and have recently found that being King is tiring and derogatory to my health. As such, I wish to step down sometime within the next five years, after which James would become King."

The ministers did not keep quiet while the king spoke. While some expressed true concerns for King Alexander's health, most were shouting about the law, and how James could not be King — he was no longer married.

James himself kept quiet, already aware of the only possible outcome this could have. A Selection. He didn't hate Selections _an sich_ — his parents had found love like that, his grandparents had, and he had too — it was more the idea of having one, again, was something he had tried very hard to ignore. The first time he had a Selection, he had been nineteen, and it had been upon his own request. When he found the love of what he thought would be his life, it had been more than he had ever hoped for. But now, all he had left of her were the memories and their daughter.

Lily Schreave-Austin had been the country's favourite from the very start, and she'd been James', too. It had taken James just two months to realize that she was the one for him, and it had been the start of a love nothing could compare to. Her death had almost torn James apart. The only reason he was still standing was his daughter.

To have another Selection, no matter how important, felt as if it was a disgrace to Lily's memory. He'd known that, after she died, he'd have to remarry if he wanted to be King. He had failed to realize that meant having a second Selection, six years after the first. His time with Lily had been cut short, and James was scared that if he managed to find someone else he could come to love — if not at first, maybe after they'd been married and had grown towards each other — they'd just be taken away from him all over again.

Still, he said: "I will have another Selection." The ministers, of course, did not hear him over their own shouting, so he stood up until finally, he had their attention. "I said that I will have another Selection. We can announce it on the Report next week, send out the forms on Monday so they will be available next Saturday. I will have a second Selection, and I will marry someone else."

James didn't wait for any response, or for the official message the meeting had ended. He simply turned away and strode out of the room.

The Report that night could not have come at a worse time when it came to James. Not only was the Selection hanging over his head, but Jeralee also had immense trouble to stay seated and not jump up and down all throughout the Report. The reason for her inattention was, of course, the Disney movie night that had become a tradition for the Royal Family. Every Friday night, after the report, the family got together in the Palace's movie room to watch a Disney movie. This week, it was Jeralee's turn to pick, and she had chosen her favourite; Beauty and the Beast. James was fairly sure she chose it every time she could. Her energy wasn't all about her that was distracting that night, though. With her blonde hair and small stature, she was a carbon copy of her mother, despite being only five and Lily no longer being around to be compared to. James knew he would have to tell her about the Selection soon, and he dreaded it with every fibre of his being. He was scared she would think he would be replacing Lily because she was still too young to understand that he could never do that. Lily had taken up such a big part of his heart no-one could ever replace her. He just hoped he could make Jeralee understand that. Luckily, he still had a week.

April Garter, a brunette who has been the Report host for the past five years, came up to James once the report was over. "So, I heard a new Selection is going to be held in a couple weeks?" Her voice was light, a simple inquiry in something that was sure to be big news. It kept hidden a much deeper sentiment, the knowledge of how painful it must be for James.

"You heard well," he answered her, keeping his own tone light as well. They didn't have to worry about any audience member overhearing, luckily, as live audiences for the Report had been abolished ever since rebels had started attacking different places in the country. The Palace had been hit directly only a handful of times, but for the safety of both the Royals and the citizens, live audiences had no longer been invited. The only people that could hear their conversation were the employees of the Royal Palace, and they had all signed a Silence Clause in their contracts; they were under strict orders to never reveal a thing about what happened at the Palace, even after their contracts ended. To go against that could result in jail time. Despite all that, this Selection was still a sore subject for James, and in respect for him, April kept her tone low.

"Just so you know — Lily would want you to be happy. And right now, you're not happy. Maybe this Selection can at least help you find some happiness again." April and Lily had famously been best friends in James' first Selection. It was the exact reason he'd kept April up until the end as well, and then offered her a job as Report host. There'd been an ongoing search anyway, and she had expressed interest in the job when she'd talked to him. After the Selection, April had also become one of James' closest friends.

"I know. It still just feels — wrong. My Selection is how I met her, but also why I lost her. I don't even know if I can find someone again, and if I do, what if I lose her too?" James' voice was no longer light. It was filled with a mix of pain, longing, and even a hint of complete despair. Yet, April knew that it was just the bare surface of how he must be feeling right now. She was right — of course she was, she knew him better than almost anyone. The only two other people that came close were his sister, Charlotte, and his valet, Mason.

All James had been able to think about since the meeting was Lily. He'd loved her so much — loved her so much still. It felt like a betrayal to those feelings and to Lily herself to try and find a replacement, even though James knew that if he did love someone else, she would have her own portion of James' heart, and never be a replacement. He knew he needed to marry someone. Even though loving someone, and holding another Selection, felt wrong.

At the same time, James was also scared.

Scared of giving away his heart just to get it back torn apart, or not even back at all. Scared of having to marry someone he didn't, couldn't, wouldn't love. Scared of finding someone who made him forget Lily and made him so happy he couldn't breathe.

But no matter how he felt, James would have to go through it. He was going to be the next king of Illéa, and sometimes, that meant putting aside your own feelings, your own hurt, your own problems, if it was in the best interest of Illéa. He was a Schreave; he would endure what is unbearable, and he would bear it.

"Oh, Jamie. You won't. I'll still be here — you can always come to me when you need to, you know that. And these girls, you're Selected: they know your history. They know what you've been through, how you are different now. They might even understand. You have been through a lot, but you are also older. You have grown, become a better man. For God's sake, you're a father now!" April's eyes shone with unshed tears, and she hugged him. "This Selection will be different, Jamie. It will be hard, but I really do believe it will be worth it."

James smiled at her. "I hope so."

Disney, as always, proved a great distraction. James had probably seen Beauty and the Beast a hundred times by now, but Jeralee loved it, and if that meant he did too. She was very strict on wearing her favourite yellow dress and would only allow the movie to start if James was also appropriately dressed in his Beast-attire. They then would proceed to act out the entire movie in front of the screen as well, much to the entertainment of the other members of the family.

When it was time for the ball scene, James picked the little girl up and twirled her around the room, which she responded to with cheers. "Do it again, do it again daddy!" She was giggling in his arms, squealing every time he put her higher.

Jeralee pouted when the movie had ended. She was still only five, and while the rest of the adults would sit and talk, for her the end of the movie meant time for bed.

"But I am not tiredddd!" She said, drawling the word and trying to hide a yawn at the same time.

"Then you better get tired really quick, because you're going to bed, my little pumpkin pie." James looked at his daughter, who was standing across from him with her arms crossed defiantly, and mimicked her stance. "Either you will come with me without a fuss, and I'll read to you, or you can stay and fall asleep here. But be warned: I'm not putting you to bed if that's your choice."

Jeralee pouted again. "But I want you to read to me!"

"So you're coming upstairs with me?" James raised an eyebrow at his daughter, who was yawning. She was fighting to keep her eyes open but refused to give in until, finally, she reluctantly nodded and reached for his hand. James picked her up and placed her on his hip. That's how he walked to her room, where he put her pyjama on her and helped her brush her teeth.

He tucked her in, then grabbed one of her books from the shelf next to the little Princesses' bed. She was asleep just three pages in. James sat and looked at his sleeping daughter for a while, just watching her chest rise and fall, her breathing all he needed to sustain him at that moment. Sometimes, when his life as the Crown-Prince of Illéa became too overwhelming, he missed Lily more than ever. Being with his daughter was then the only thing that truly managed to calm him down. This night, however, not even that was enough, thanks to his worries about her reaction to his Selection.

Finally, he put the book away, placed a kiss on Jeralee's forehead, and went to the sitting room where he knew his parents and sister would be.

They were all doing their own thing when he walked in; King Alexander was reading a book, Queen Winona was watching something on her tablet, and Princess Charlotte was thumbing through a magazine, a pile of others next to her. She looked up when he walked in.

"Now that we're all here, I have some news," she said, not meeting any of the gazes that turned towards her. "Prince Dorky von Dorkenstein called—"

" _Lot_ —" Queen Winona interrupted her daughter, groaning at the name. Lot ignored her.

"To tell me that ' _the best state of our engagement would be terminated_.' And yes, he phrased it like that." She bristled. "Glad I've gotten rid of that self-righteous piece of crap."

Prince 'Dorky von Dorkenstein', otherwise known as Prince David from the kingdom of Germany, was Lot's — apparently former — fiancé. Neither of them could stand the other, which Lot says is because he tried to have his way with her when they were fifteen, after which she kicked him in the nuts when he ignored her strong decline. David claims she just kicked him in the nuts out of nowhere and can't forgive such an offence, which Lot thinks is a bullshit excuse for not being able to handle rejection.

"Lot!" Her mother now looked outright shocked. "Language!"

"What? Why? There's no one here but us!"

Before that argument could blow up any further, King Alexander stepped in. "He terminated the engagement? For what reason?"

"He said it was because he found someone who was better suited to his needs, which I'm guessing means that she isn't from high enough social circles to be able to say no his advances, nor from a low enough to not take shit like that. Shame. Their wedding will take place when ours was originally supposed to, probably to spare expenses. We're all still invited, by the way." Lot was studying her nails, appearing disinterested in the conversation, when she added the last sentence.

Alexander sighed. "It would have been nice to be able to hear this first-hand."

"Oh, I'm sure King Abel will reach out to you tomorrow. Dorky called just before the Report, and I believe it was the first thing he did after she said yes." Lot tossed her hair over her shoulder, then scrunched up her nose, turning to her father. "You're not going to arrange another marriage for me, are you? Because if so, I would like a bigger say, and also preferably a woman as my betrothed."

Lot was famously gay. She'd come out to the inhabitants of the Palace last year, partly because she was done pretending to be someone she was not, and partly because she had been caught making out with a maid in a supply closet.

"I quite believe it would be best to leave the choice of a spouse to you this time, darling," Alexander said, a smile tugging on his lips. James quite agreed.

"As long as you can leave the girls of my Selection to me," he said, not entirely sure he was ready to joke about it. He did it anyway. The look Lot sent him told that she was aware he wasn't ready for the rest of them to joke about it, too.

"Don't worry," she said. "I can't even imagine liking someone who could ever have an interest in my brother."

And with that, she breezed out of the room.

* * *

 **Hi!**

 **So, this SYOC is now officially open! You can find the rules and form on my profile :)**

 **I hope you'll enjoy!**

 **Love, Sabine**


	2. Chapter two

**Chapter two**

" _James!" James turned around to see Liam, beckoning him over to a corner. "I need you to sit here and keep an eye on Lot, okay?" He asked him, looking at their sleeping sister._

" _What? Why?" James asked, not understanding why his older brother couldn't do it. James was fifteen, but Liam was seventeen — he's the one that should look after Lot if it would be necessary. Not that it often is, because Lot was already eleven._

 _Liam's eyes shone with excitement. "Because I'm going upstairs."_

 _James frowned. "I thought we weren't allowed to go upstairs?"_

" _You're not, no. But I'm older. I just need to take care of something, okay?" Liam cocked his head to the side, looking at his younger brother. "Or do you think you're not big enough to watch over Lot?"_

 _James bristled. Liam was two years older, but they were the same height. In fact, James was quite sure he'd be taller in just a few months._

" _Alright," James finally said. He had a feeling it was going to be a bad idea, though, which was why he added: "But promise you'll be back soon!"_

" _Of course. I'll always come back." Liam smiled at James one last time, then turned around to crawl through a hole in the wall. It was hidden under one of the stretchers in the room. James spent the hours they were in there guarding the hole and Lot, while also pretending the Liam was lying in one of the other stretchers. He waited and waited, but Liam never came back._

James woke up in a cold sweat. The memory was already slipping away from him, but he still felt the despair that had settled over him. Suddenly, the gaping hole in his heart had gotten twice as big. Liam, his older brother, had disappeared exactly ten years ago that day. By now, most assumed he was dead, but his body still hadn't been found. James hadn't been sure that was good news for the past five years.

He got up to splash some water in his face in his bathroom. When he looked in the mirror above the sink, he almost didn't recognize himself. What he saw, was a younger version of his father, looking tired and worn out. And his Selection hadn't even begun.

With a sigh, he dragged himself back to his bed, collapsing on top of it. He was barely awake enough to put the covers over himself and fell asleep again instantly.

Unfortunately for him, that sleep lasted just ten minutes before a small hand started knocking at his door. Like all five-year-olds, Jeralee had the habit of waking up annoyingly early. James groaned softly into his pillow, then said: "Who's there?"

A giggle sounded from behind the door. Jeralee answered, trying to have a low voice: "Your valet Mason. I must enter for important business."

"Is that so? Then you better come in quick," James answered, a smile tugging at his lips. No matter how tired he was, he could never say no to Jeralee.

The door edged open, and Jeralee peered around the corner. James was sitting up in bed, looking at his phone, which was turned off. Slowly, the little girl crawled to the edge of the bed, where she jumped on him with a yell.

"Got ya!" She was sprawled all over James, trying to keep him at the bed. He was lying on it, with Jeralee on top of him. She was keeping a hold on his arms and legs, which James could easily break, but pretended he couldn't.

"Jeralee!" He gasped. "I didn't know my little girl was so strong!"

She giggled again. Before she could say something, though, there was another knock on the door. This time, James knew, it really was Mason.

"Who is it?" He called anyway.

"Mason, Your Highness. Miss Nina Lorett would like to enter."

James nodded to himself, and looked at Jeralee, who rolled off him with a squeal. She stayed on the bed while James quickly put on a shirt and a pair of shorts. He'd just been wearing his boxers, and while he knew that Nina was happily married to her wife and not at all interested, he also knew that everyone would be much more comfortable if he wasn't practically naked, including himself. He quite preferred to be clothed when among others.

"Come in," he said once he was — sort of — dressed. Mason was the first through the door, and immediately sat down on the couch. Etiquette wasn't his strong suit, but James didn't mind. Mason had grown to be one of his closest friends during his first Selection, and there was no one else who knew what and when he needed that he could never have replaced Mason if he wanted to.

Nina came next, her tall, blonde frame in sharp contrast with Mason's dark and sharp features. The woman had an exasperated look on her face that made her look much older than thirty-four. "I am so sorry, Your Highness," she said. "The little fairy just flew right past me."

Jeralee gasped, her eyes wide. "You think I'm a fairy?" Her voice was filled with wonder, and Nina's face softened. James was quite sure that besides he, his family, and April, there was no one else who loved Jeralee as much as Nina did. Which was why, while April was the Princesses' godmother, Nina had been appointed to always be her nanny, no matter with who she lived.

"Aren't you, then?" Nina said to Jeralee, who nodded heavily.

"No, I am, I am! Right, daddy? Can you tell Nina I'm a fairy? Can you?" Jeralee was jumping up and down the bed, her excitement almost touchable. The happiness she spread everywhere was enough to finally cheer James up, despite the awful day that he knew awaited him.

"I'd say it's quite obvious that she's a fairy, Nina," James said, picking Jeralee up from the bed. She hung on to him like a monkey, clasping to her father's side. Despite her having never met Liam, James knew that she understood the importance of the day, and how much her father was affected by it. It pained him to have to give her to Nina for the day. She was still too young to come along on the trip they'd be taking that day. Even though it was just Los Angeles.

"And here I was, thinking that being a princess would be good enough for a girl. No, she has to be a fairy, too," Mason sighed. Like always when he commented on Jeralee, James wasn't entirely sure he was joking. Still, he winked at Mason.

"You ought to know by now that nothing is ever good enough for a girl, Mason," James said, dropping a kiss on Jeralee's head. "Can I get a promise you'll be kind to Nina, Jeralee?"

She nodded, her thumb in her mouth. James gently nudged it out, and looked at her, waiting. A few moments went by, then she said: "I promise I will be kind to Nina, daddy."

James smiled, kissed her again, and then gave her to Nina. "Then I will see you tonight," he said.

"She'll be waiting for you to read to her," Nina said, knowing Jeralee well enough to say with perfect confidence that the little girl would only be sleeping when James would be too late, and she'd fallen asleep from pure exhaustion. Luckily, that didn't happen often. James always made sure to be home on time if he left the Palace to be able to read to her. He needed the moment just as much as Jeralee did.

When they'd finally left the room, after another few rounds of kisses and/or hugs, Mason got up from his position on the couch, tucking his phone back into his pocket as he went. "Before you go down to breakfast, your father asked to see you in his office."

James halted on his way to take a shower. Without turning around, he said: "Why?"

Mason shrugged. "I don't know. I received a note from General Austin himself this morning. All it said was that you were to meet your father in his office at eight thirty am."

James quickly jogged back to his bed, grabbing his phone to look at the time. Seven forty-five am. He cursed, then took what was quite probably the quickest shower of his life.

Mason had laid out a suit for him when James submerged from the bathroom. It was only when he'd gotten dressed and was tying his shoelaces that he realised he had left the room. He briefly wondered where he'd gone but had forgotten about it by the time he was on his way.

He arrived at his father's office at exactly eight thirty. Jack Austin, General of the Royal Guard was already waiting for him in front of it, checking his watch every other second. When he noticed James, he said: "Oh, _finally_. Come in, come in!"

The General, who was in his sixties and had been the General since way before James was born, entered the King's office after James. King Alexander himself was already waiting, seated behind his imposing mahogany desk. The large windows behind him showed the ocean, its turmoil and waves the painting King Alexanders loved most. The walls were lined with large cabinets, which were filled with books, globes, maps, binders, and much more. All of it contained information that either had played or was playing an important role in Illéa's fate.

"James," his father began. The way his name had been said, James knew that he would not be talking to the King today. This was a conversation between father and son. "As I said yesterday, I wish to step down from my post sometime in the coming years. As such, I think it would be good for you to take on some of my duties. I understand if you can't do that right away, as your Selection is coming up—" James winced. "—but you should at least consider it."

"What kind of duties?"

"The ministers are all looking out for the fate of their own provinces, assisted by the city councils actually located in the provinces, but there are always projects that go above province borders. Those are the projects where all the ministers work together, and those are also the projects I still have a say over. I want you to start taking my place as King in some of them, starting with the foodbank-project."

The foodbank-project was a project Lot had started. If everything worked out, it would provide people who did not have a lot of money with food and water. It wasn't an answer to the poverty many in Illéa were plagued by, but it would at least be a first step in making their life easier. Lot was very passionate about it, and James knew how much it meant to her to make this work.

"I would be honoured to be a part of the foodbank-project, father."

His father nodded, shuffled some papers around on his desk, then retrieved a fat folder that he gave to James. "This contains all the information that is now available on the logistics of the project. As you know, Lot was the one to come up with it, and she is still very much involved. You will be working together."

"Thank you. I just have one question: why was it necessary for General Austin to be here for this?" Jack Austin had been quietly standing near the door for the duration of James's conversation with his father. James didn't mind, but he did wonder why. It wasn't common procedure for the General of the Guard to be privy to the King's personal conversations with his son.

"He is here for the next matter I want to discuss with you this morning: the security of the Palace and the Selected, of course, but most of all your own. You have been the crown-prince for ten years now, and—" His voice broke. He stopped talking for a moment, gathered his thoughts and took a few deep breaths, then resumed. "Now that you will be hosting a second Selection and getting ready to take over my place, you are more in the spotlight. I want to keep you safe. Which is why I have taken the liberty of asking Jack to look amongst his Guards for a suitable bodyguard. Jack?"

"Yes, Your Highness, thank you. It was in the applications for the Royal Guard that I found the application of Major Eddie Wilson. He started out as a fighter in the Royal Air Force, where he became Major last year when he was twenty-five. He is dedicated, ambitious, and loyal. I have reached out to his superiors, who have all ensured me that he is an incredible soldier if a bit impulsive. I am confident he is best suited to the job."

The King nodded. "Good. Good, thank you. I will look over the file, and James will too. We will decide whether to hire him Monday morning." He sighed, then. The role of King left his shoulders, but his burden did not become lighter. If anything, it became heavier.

"Now, we must have breakfast and prepare for the day ahead," he said to James, who looked at his father with concern. He hadn't realized the toll that Liam being gone had truly taken on his father. Looking at him now, James noticed that it seemed King Alexander had aged much more than the ten years that had passed. And even now, he still missed him as much as that very first day.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. No-one knew what to say, so instead, they said nothing at all. Jeralee wasn't there to diffuse the mood, either. James was glad to escape the heavy air in the room as soon as possible, and almost sprinted the way to his room.

Mason wasn't there when he walked in, which calmed him in a way the unexpected absence of a friend shouldn't have. He didn't dwell on the feeling, though, but strode to his closet. In the far end of it, behind a rack of coats, a secret door was hidden. It led to a series of secret passages that travelled all through the Palace, connecting the floors and rooms in a way not even the servant's passages did.

James had found out about them when he was still a kid and kept them a secret. He hadn't ever told a soul, not even Liam or Lily. As a result, he was quite sure no-one else knew of them. His parents certainly didn't. Sometimes he thought Lot did — the way she moved through the Palace, quick and undetected, made him think she was more than just fast. He had never seen her, though, and was definitely not going to ask her point blank, in case she didn't know of them after all.

The passage he took led straight to the highest point of the Palace, right under the roof, above the regular attic that was already deserted. The little room was hardly bigger than 10 by 10 feet and completely covered in dust. It was a bit thinner in the middle of the room, and the box that stood there clearly showed signs of having been picked up in the past. It was James's biggest secret: the box that contained all of his favourite memories.

Inside, were poems Lily had shared, flowers he'd dried, pictures of Jeralee right after she'd been born, photographs of Lily's funeral and Jeralee's tears. But that wasn't what James took out of it that day. Instead, he grabbed a book. It had clearly been in the box the longest. Photos fell onto to the floor as James opened it. Photos of himself, of Lot, of their parents, of the Palace. The one person that was noticeably absent from all of them was Liam.

James had taken the book out of Liam's room a day before he went missing. Liam had been mad about it that morning, but then he'd disappeared, and James couldn't bear to set foot in Liam's room, not even to return what was rightfully his. Liam had always dragged a camera around, taking pictures of everyone and everything he saw. The ones he thought were best, he'd put in the very book that was now getting wet from James's tears.

It was past noon when James got back in his room. He had just an hour left before they'd be leaving for the memorial in Los Angeles. He sighed, wiped away the last of his tears, straightened his tie, and stepped out of his room to help prepare.

* * *

 **Hi everyone!**

 **So, I just want to start this note off with saying how grateful I am for the many reviews I've gotten on the first chapter. Thank you so much! It's great seeing so many of you excited about this story. Also, thank you to everyone was has already submitted a character and/or reserved a spot. You will all have until January thirteenth to submit.**

 **Next, I'd like to explain why this is so late. Obviously, today is New Year's Day and Christmas was last week, but normally, that wouldn't have stopped me. I was on holiday last week (which was great!) and had much less time to write than I'd anticipated even though I'd brought my laptop with me. That's also why I haven't really been responding to the PM's with submissions you've sent me, but trust me when I tell you I saw them all!**

 **Third, I'm gonna apologize ahead of time for the time in between updates. I suck at keeping to schedules and school is gonna be really busy after the break, so I'll have even less time to write. Put my often lack of inspiration on top of that, and you might understand that finishing this is going to be a challenge. I don't really have a track record for finishing stories either, as I usually quit after a couple of chapters. I promise I'm going to try as hard as I can not to let that happen to this story, though!**

 **I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas, or Hannukah, or anything else you might celebrate, or just days if you don't celebrate anything at all, and that 2019 will be an amazing year!**

 **Love,**

 **Sabine**


	3. Chapter three

**Chapter three**

The memorial flew by in a way that surprised James. Never had the ache in his heart dulled, and the way the yearly memorial seemed to last a week instead of a day felt right to him, in a way he couldn't quite explain. It was just like the anniversary of Lily's death, or of their wedding; the pain of their loss was something he knew would never go away, nor did he want it to. Being remembered of it and feeling it quite like the first time was what he deserved for having survived both of them.

But this year, on the anniversary of Liam going missing, James had twenty-eight thousand other things at his mind. The day had passed before he'd realized, and then he was sitting in Jeralee's room, watching as the girl breathed softly in her sleep.

A soft knock on the door brought him out of his reverie.

"James?" Lot peeked around the slightly opened door. "Can I talk to you?"

There was something in her voice, a catch or uncertainty, that made James immediately stand up, give Jeralee a kiss, and join her in the hall. He looked her over, quickly taking in her distressed state. He had a feeling this wasn't about the day they'd had.

It took a few minutes to walk to Lot's rooms, and Lot wasted no time once they'd arrived.

"I don't think I should be here for your Selection." The words fell out of her mouth quickly, a waterfall of words she'd been hesitant to say. But now, they were out in the open. James immediately understood why she said them, why she felt the way she did. And he wasn't here for it.

"Lot. These girls will be coming here to marry me. They'll be your sister-in-law, so no matter what happens, they're gonna have to be okay with who you are. I won't marry them if they're not – you know that."

A few years back, a girl Lot used to "date" had gone to the press to spill the deeds on the Princess betrothed to Germany's Crown-Prince; she was lesbian. The Royal Family had never officially addressed the rumours, as King Alexander feared what it would do for their reputation. Still, Lot refused to deny them; they were true, and she didn't want to live a lie. Now, her engagement had been called off, and that meant that she was free to date whomever she wanted, without having to be clouded in secrecy. No matter what anyone said.

"I know, but… what if something happens between, you know, me and one of them? I'm not worried about you – I'm worried about my own control. God knows I barely held it together the last time around."

She'd had a bit of a crush on one of his Selected. The girl pretended to like Lot too, at first, until she came running to James to tell him that Lot had forced herself on her. James had known better, as Lot had kept him up to date. He'd only kept the girl in for Lot and eliminated her immediately afterwards.

"Lot. I trust you. Besides, I need you – to help me pick out who it definitely isn't going to be, and to teach these girls etiquette and Illéan history, not to mention how to throw one hell of an event," James smiled at his little sister. He'd known she'd been right for the job when he'd remembered how much she'd disliked everything the predecessor had taught the girls.

She looked at him like he was crazy. "Are you sure? Because that's the opposite of keeping distance, you know. Which would have been my idea if I wouldn't be on a lengthy vacation on a cruise in the Chinese Sea. Still an option, by the way."

James bopped his sister's nose, and she swatted his hand away. "Very sure. I can't think of anyone more qualified for the job. And then you can take your vacation afterwards, to escape the hell of wedding planning."

Lot veered up at that idea. "If you promise you'll let me go, I'll take the job. I can't take mom during another engagement. It was awful."

"I promise."

She nodded. "Good. Now get out, I need to sleep."

The next day started as any Sunday did; with Jeralee jumping up and down James' bed until one of them almost fell out of it. She was extra giddy today, which her father knew was because of the gloom that had dominated the day before. She hadn't been there during the memorial, nor did she know or understand what that day meant, but she was smart enough to know how the mood was different. James was glad for it because it meant she understood emotional undercurrents, and God knew how little he knew about those. He hoped it would serve her once she was Queen.

That day, however, was not a day for thinking about wonderful of a Queen Jeralee would one day be. The last weekend of fall was just a month away, which meant that the Winter Solstice Ball was just a month away as well. Paired with the Selection that would have just started then, the Palace was buzzing with staff and anticipation.

First, coming Friday would be the announcement of the Selection. Two weeks later, the Selected would be chosen. They were to arrive the Monday after that, and another week later, the Winter Solstice Ball would already be there. Instead of throwing a Ball for Christmas and New Year's Eve, both of those events would be celebrated with the Winter Solstice Ball. That did not mean those days would simply pass by in the Palace, of course.

There was still the Royal Christmas Dinner, a charity dinner during which the Palace opened its doors and kitchen to all the citizens who didn't have any other place to go. Every City Hall, in every Province, did the same. Lily used to love it.

And, of course, New Year's Eve was still celebrated, though the Royal Family only invited its closes friends and family. This year, the Selected were lucky enough to make the cut.

But that did mean that it was more important than ever that the events are completely perfect. And that the Selected will be prepared. And that was where James was needed. He spent the first half of the week drowned in work. He and Lot worked together to figure out precisely what is absolutely necessary for the girls to be taught in order for them to make the best impression at the Ball possible.

Besides that, though, they also had to work on the foodbank-project. And James had to attend to his other duties, too — there was the opening of the new Exhibition on Dutch Old Masters at the Ancient Art Museum in Fennley he had to attend Monday night, and the Christening of the Navy's newest warship, the Queen Winona II, on Wednesday morning. And then there were all the files he needed to read before the weekly meeting. Just when he thought he'd had them all, he came in the next day to find a whole new pile. The Palace may be in planning mode, there was still a country to run and Royal duties to attend to.

It wasn't until Thursday morning, right before lunch, that James finally had some time for himself. He knew that when he got back to his office, another three-to-five memos would have manifested itself on his desk, but he couldn't quite bring himself to deal with that knowledge. He needed a moment of peace, and most of all, he needed a moment with Jeralee.

James still hadn't told his daughter about his Selection. He had fully intended to do it first thing Monday morning, but then a whole lot of work had come in between. So now, his legs took him to the classroom where he knew she was being taught about etiquette, despite him not recalling his mind telling them to do that.

When James looked inside, he first spotted Nina, Jeralee's nanny, reading a book in the back of the room. Jeralee had etiquette lessons every Tuesday and Thursday and, like every Royal before her, found them unbearable. When Nina was there with her, though, she never made much of a fuss. She liked her nanny way too much to ever be anything but lovely when she was around. James had seen his daughter's tantrums, and he knew how grateful the elderly etiquette teacher must be for Nina. He quite remembered being an absolute brat in the very same room, with the very same teacher. He was still not sure if the woman ever warmed up to him now that he's an adult.

He waited patiently outside the room for the lesson to end. Only after the etiquette teacher had left the room to go home, did he step inside.

"Daddy!" Jeralee immediately attached herself to her father's leg, not being tall enough to reach any higher than that. James was very tall, and Jeralee had inherited her mother's height. In other words, she was all set to be about as tall as a small dwarf. Still, she was looking up at her father with a grin so wide it might split her face.

"Hey, girlie. I wanted to talk to you before we have lunch, okay?" James only partly directed the question at his daughter, who was already nodding enthusiastically. The other part was for Nina, who took the hint and grabbed her bag. Thanks to Jeralee's lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she'd normally have the days off. Now that James can take over for bringing her to lunch and her ballet class afterwards, she got to go home and spend the rest of the day with her wife.

Once Nina was out of the room as well, James settled down on one of the chairs, pulling Jeralee on his lap.

"Darling, do you know how I met your mother?" James asked her.

She nodded. "Yes! You had a Selection, and then you fell in love!" Jeralee's smile was beaming. James knew how much she loved the story, all the fairy tale aspects of it. In real life, it was much more like a madhouse, but he won't tell her that until it was time for her to have her own.

"Yes, I did. And do you know why I had a Selection?"

"To meet mommy!"

James chuckled slightly. Jeralee was not one to make things easy. "But do you know why I wanted to meet your mommy?"

She frowned. For a moment, James was scared she would say _To have me!_ He wasn't sure how he would talk himself out of that one. But, needn't have feared, for she shook her head instead.

"The laws of Illéa say that before the heir can be crowned, he or she has to be married," James explained. He intended to have those laws changed during his reign. He never wanted Jeralee to experience what he was going through. "And that's why I had a Selection; to meet someone I loved so much I wanted to marry them. But now that your mommy is dead, I'm not married anymore."

The Royals had agreed very early one to never spin circles about Lily. She was dead, and it was awful, but James did not want to raise Jeralee with her feeling like it was taboo to talk about. So, he had always told her about the situation as it was.

Jeralee looked at up at her father, the frown still visible on her forehead. "But if you're not married, how will you be King?"

James waited for a bit, searching for the words to explain what would be happening — what already was happening. "I need to have another Selection, baby. To get married, so I can become King."

He wanted Jeralee to say something, anything, but instead, she looked away. Her frown had deepened, and it broke his heart. "So you're going to replace my mommy?"

The way she said it, how _my mommy_ sounded very much like Lily already no longer belonged to James, too. It shattered the already broken pieces of his heart into dust.

"No. No, no, baby, I will never replace your mommy. Your mommy will always be in my heart. Nothing can change that. I just need to find someone else I can love."

"But then you'll love mommy less!" The little girl started to wriggle, wanting to get free of James' grip. He held her tighter.

"A heart is a magical thing, sweetie. It works in ways even I don't understand. The only thing I know is that it can always create more space to love with. When I met your mommy, I didn't love Auntie Lot any less. When you were born, I didn't love your mommy any less. And no matter who else I will meet to love, it will never mean I will anyone else any less. Okay, baby?"

Jeralee still wouldn't look at her father. James let his finger rest on her cheek, then used it to turn her head towards his. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and mumbled into her hair. "It won't make me love you any less, either. Nothing will."

As it always was, Friday was the busiest day of the week. After the week he'd had, James considered it a grand accomplishment. The meeting in the morning had dragged on and on, and he could have sworn he even saw his father almost doze off at one point. Lot had stopped by at one point, and together, they had given an overview on the foodbank-project. The first one was set to open in February, and a charity Ball was being planned for late January, as funding.

Now, however, dinner had passed and the last seconds until the Report started were almost being called out. He could see April preparing herself on the stage, doing her vocal warmings. He'd thought they were ridiculous the first time he'd seen her do them, but after she had _patiently_ explained them to him, he had a new-found respect for them.

"And in five, four, three, two, live!" The red lights of the cameras jumped on all at once, and April pulled a beaming smile out of nowhere.

"Hello and good evening, Illéa! How are you tonight?" Despite the lack of an audience, April still asked the question. Yet, no one seemed to find it weird. The perks of being a natural at your job.

"Please welcome with me, the Royal Family!" The Illéan Anthem started playing, and the King and Queen walked to their seats. James was next in line, holding Jeralee's hand, and Lot closed it. Despite Jeralee's dislike of the new Selection, she seemed to accept his explanation. For now, at least.

"Before we get to the goods that we have in store for you, the King has this week's announcements for you."

As was tradition, the Report was always opened by the King's weekly updates on the matters that were important to each citizen of Illéa, such as developments in health care and the economy. It wasn't the most thrilling part of the job, but still important. The best country kept its citizens informed of what was happening behind the closed doors of its government.

After him, Lot was granted the stage. She laid out the plans for the foodbanks and announced the charity event they'd be holding in late January, with more information to come. She finished her speech with a promise of more updates coming soon.

Then, it was finally time for James.

"So, my dear Prince James, a little birdie has told me that you have something very special to tell us all," April said, giving him the time he needed to pull himself together and join her on a different section of the stage, where the other Royals were no longer visible.

"You have interesting friends if you heard it from a bird," James pointed out, resulting in a laugh from April. Then, he turned serious, addressing Illéa itself rather than his friend in the studio.

"Dear citizens of Illéa, as you all know, I lost my beloved wife, Princess Lily." A pause in James' words gave way to a quickly muttered _may God have her soul_ , which he knew was said all over the country at the same moment. "In order to one day be crowned King, I have to be married. Which is why I will be having a second Selection. The forms will be sent out as I speak and can be submitted until next Saturday."

James wanted to say more, but he was cut off by an explosion so loud it made his ears ring. He turned around, looking for Jeralee. Before he could run and find her, several hands had already grabbed on to him, trying to get him to safety.

He trashed and struggled, but the Guards were stronger. It took them no longer than a few minutes to push him into a secret passage and march him down to the bunker. Inside the long hall, it was already pure chaos, with people streaming in from all sides.

The bunker was designed to be accessible through only one way, so as to avoid ambushes. Everyone was scanned and had their ID verified before they were allowed to enter. The bunker itself was about the size of a small mansion, buried deep underground. No one outside the confinements of the Palace knew it existed. All who worked or lived in the Palace had signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement regarding its existence. It was Illéa's most closely guarded secret.

The fact that there was a bunker was, of course, well-known, but no one suspected anything on this scale. Those who tried to get in would find numerous small safe rooms hidden within the walls of the Palace. Only those who knew the way could find the official bunker.

It was set up to function as a second Palace, with offices, bedrooms, supplies that could sustain all three-hundred-and-fifty employees and inhabitants. Its enforced steel-and-concrete walls kept all sounds in- and outside. It did not, however, kept the crashing bombs upstairs from rattling the walls. Thanks to safety procedures, once the alarms had started ringing, everyone had thirty minutes to make it down into the bunker, which would then be locked for at least twenty-four hours or however much longer it took to be safe. Everyone outside after those thirty minutes was shit out of luck.

James knew that this was going to be a very long twenty-four hours.

* * *

 **So. Yeah. Hi?**

 **I know this took forever to post, and I'm really sorry I'm making you all wait so long. I can say (write?) I'll try to write more often, or faster, but I know myself well enough to know that's not going to happen. Blame my teachers.**

 **Anyway, I hope you still liked this chapter, despite how long it's been.**

 **Also: I have officially filled all the spots and thus closed the SYOC submission! If you haven't already, please send your forms in asap. Preferably before the end of January, though that range may be extended if you really need more time.**

 **Until next time!**


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